Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors A. Davies, D.C. Evans, D. Harries, T. Higgins, A. James, A.G. Morgan (morning session), A. Speake, L.M. Stephens and G.B. Thomas (afternoon session).   

There were no declarations of personal interest.

The Retiring Chair, Councillor Irfon Jones, welcomed distinguished guests, Councillors, staff and friends to the meeting.

Councillor Jones reflected on his year in office and expressed his gratitude to the Chief Executive for his advice and professional guidance, and to Directors and staff of the authority who had supported the work of the Chair, including the Democratic Services Unit, his driver Jeff Jones, and in particular Eira Evans for her professional and personal support, arranging his events and making sure that everything always ran smoothly.

He thanked his Vice Chairman, Councillor Mansel Charles, and Councillor Charles’s Consort, Mrs. Bethan Charles-Davies, for their support and company during his term of office and wished Councillor Charles well in his year of office. He also thanked his Chaplain Rev Canon Aled Williams for his spiritual support and guidance throughout the year.

Councillor Jones expressed his sincere gratitude for all the support he and his consort had received throughout what he personally considered to be a very successful year in which he had travelled the length and breadth of Carmarthenshire meeting centenarians, teenagers, award winners, musicians, artists and royalty.

Finally he paid tribute to his wife and consort Jean, who had been at his side and guided him for the last 12 months and thanked her formally for her continued love and support.  He considered that it had been an honour and a privilege to serve as the Council’s Chair and thanked all for giving him the opportunity. 

It was moved by Councillor H.I. Jones and seconded by Councillor C. Campbell and UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that Councillor M. Charles be elected Chair of Carmarthenshire County Council for the 2018/19 Municipal Year.

Councillor M. Charles made his declaration of acceptance of office and was invested by the retiring Chair with the Chain of Office.

Councillor M. Charles expressed his gratitude to all Councillors for their support in appointing him as Chair of Carmarthenshire County Council. He advised that he hoped he would emulate the high standard of Chairmanship provided by his predecessors.  Councillor Charles paid tribute to the retiring Chair, Councillor H.I. Jones and presented the Retiring Chair with a portrait and photographic album tracing some of the events attended during his year of office, together with a Past Chair’s Commemorative Pendant. 

The retiring Chair’s consort Mrs Jean Jones thereupon presented Mrs Bethan Charles-Davies with her Chain of Office and Mrs Bethan Charles-Davies presented Mrs Jean Jones with a Past Chair’s Consort’s Commemorative Pendant.

TRIBUTES

Tributes were also paid to the Retiring Chair for the excellent service he had given to the Council by the Leaders of the Plaid Cymru, Independent and Labour Groups.  Particular reference was made to Cllr Jones’s excellent chairmanship of Council meetings. The Chief Executive also paid tribute on behalf of the Authority’s staff to the retiring Chair who had fulfilled his role with great professionalism and had been very active and supportive of the work of the Council.

Following the above appointment the Chair will propose that the meeting stands adjourned until 1.30 p.m. when the remaining business on the agenda will be transacted.

It was moved by Councillor R. James, seconded by Councillor J. Tremlett and UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that Councillor K. Madge be elected Vice-Chair of Carmarthenshire County Council for the 2018/19 Municipal Year. 

Councillor K. Madge made his declaration of acceptance of office and was invested by the Chair with the Chain of Office. 

The Chair congratulated the Vice Chair and his Consort on their appointments. 

The Vice-Chair’s consort Mrs Catrin Madge was presented with a Chain of Office by the Chair’s consort Mrs. Bethan Charles-Davies.

It was moved by the Chair, seconded by the Vice Chair and UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the remainder of the business on the agenda should stand adjourned until 1.30 p.m. that day.

The Council reconvened in the Chamber, County Hall, Carmarthen at 1.30 p.m.

PRESENT: Councillor J.M. Charles (Chair)

Councillors:

F. Akhtar, S.M. Allen, L.R. Bowen, K.V. Broom, C.A. Campbell, D.M. Cundy, S.A. Curry, C.A. Davies, T.A.J. Davies, G. Davies, H.L. Davies, I.W. Davies, J.A. Davies, W.R.A. Davies, E. Dole, J.S. Edmunds, P.M. Edwards, H.A.L. Evans, L.D. Evans, R.E. Evans, W.T. Evans, A.L. Fox, S.J.G. Gilasbey, C.J. Harris, P. Hughes-Griffiths, J.K. Howell, P.M. Hughes, A. James, J.D. James, R. James, D.M. Jenkins, J.P. Jenkins, G.H. John, C. Jones, B.W. Jones, D. Jones, G.R. Jones, H.I. Jones, T.J. Jones, A. Lenny, M.J.A. Lewis, K. Lloyd, K. Madge, S. Matthews, A.S.J. McPherson, A.G. Morgan, E. Morgan, D. Nicholas, B.D.J. Phillips, J.S. Phillips, D. Price, J.G. Prosser, B.A.L. Roberts, E.M.J.G. Schiavone, H.B. Shepardson, B. Thomas, D. Thomas, E.G. Thomas, G. Thomas, J. Tremlett, A.Vaughan Owen, D.T. Williams, D.E. Williams and J.E. Williams.

The following Officers were in attendance:

M. James, Chief Executive;

C. Moore, Director of Corporate Services;

J. Morgan, Director of Community Services;

G. Morgans, Director of Education & Children's Services;

Mrs R. Mullen, Director of Environment;

W. Walters, Director of Regeneration & Policy;

L.R. Jones, Head of Administration and Law;

P.R. Thomas, Assistant Chief Executive (People Management & Performance);

I. Llewellyn, Executive Support Manager;

M.S. Davies, Democratic Services Officer.

Chamber, County Hall, Carmarthen1.30 pm - 2.50 pm

A further apology for absence was received from Councillor S.L. Davies.

The Leader presented his Annual Report 2017-2018, copies of which were made available at the meeting, which looked back upon the achievements of the Council over the past 12 months. 

This was the Leader’s third Annual Report but his first since the 2017 elections which had seen a change in the balance of power within the council. He reflected upon the fact that this time last year he had welcomed 29 new faces to the benches of the council chamber which represented over a third of the total number of councillors. Whilst, over the last year there had been many training sessions and induction seminars, it was hoped that the new members had a much better understanding of the ways of local government and were better equipped to take crucial decisions over the remaining four years of this council. He expressed the hope that this council would have a lifespan beyond the four years left of this current term.

Referring to the recurring theme of austerity the Leader commented that financial efficiencies had been sought in every aspect of the council’s work and he was full of admiration for the staff of the council for coming up with a whole host of innovative money saving ideas. However, services had been pared to the bone and it was now becoming virtually impossible to continue protecting front line services. It was hoped that the impending retirement of the First Minister would lead to a change in emphasis and that local government would be protected from further cuts. Nevertheless although it had been a difficult time much had happened in Carmarthenshire over the last 12 months that made it possible to feel very positive about the future.

The Leader referred to the aims of the TIC Programme to think differently, behave differently and through that also act differently. To date it had helped to identify and achieve some £12m worth of savings in terms of actual money and saving costs. Many improvements were happening across the Authority in parallel with the TIC Programme and last year, with a desire to acknowledge and reward that, the TIC Awards ceremony had been launched July. Five inspired projects had been placed on the shortlist and the overall winner had been the Housing Options Team for the way in which it had improved its systems for giving a wide range of advice to the people who need housing. TIC had also supported a key corporate initiative for digital transformation encompassing the ‘changing channel’ programmes in order to expand the way in which residents could interact with services by creating an account and managing services online. A key initiative with regard to flexible working had also been launched that would make better use of the authority’s offices and technology allowing staff more flexibility in working and providing services. To help schools to make savings in order to safeguard the attainment of pupils and education a specific TIC post for schools had been created and a programme of work  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.

The Council considered the composition of Regulatory, Scrutiny, Other Committees and Panels and the membership of those committees. The Leaders of the Political Groups confirmed that there were no additional membership changes.

It was duly moved and seconded and

RESOLVED that the composition and membership of Regulatory, Scrutiny, Other Committees and Panels for the 2018/19 Municipal Year, as detailed within the report be approved.

The Council, in accordance with Corporate Procedure Rule CPR 17.6 considered nominations which had been received for the appointment of Chairs and Vice Chairs of Committees for the 2018/19 Municipal Year. 

It was duly moved and seconded and

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the following appointments to Chairs and Vice Chairs of Regulatory, Scrutiny, Other Committees and Panels be made for the 2018/19 Municipal Year:-

Council considered a report which advised that constitutionally it had responsibility for adopting a Scheme of Members’ Allowances but that the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales (IRPW) prescribed the amounts to be paid with a view to providing a consistent national framework for councillor remuneration. Council had considered changes for 2018/19 at its meeting held on 18^th April, 2018.  A copy of the Allowances Scheme adopted by Council for 2018/19 amended for implementation for the 2018/19 municipal year was attached to the report for consideration.

The report also contained additional amendments to reflect the recommendations of the Constitutional Review Working Group at its meetings held on 12^th February, 2018 and 20^th April 2018.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED

12.1 to amend Part 4.1 of the constitution to clarify that a proposer and seconder are required for Motions on Notice and to allow Motions on Notice to be submitted electronically. (CPR 12.1);

12.2 to adopt the Councillors’ and Co-opted Members’ Salaries and Allowances Scheme for 2018/19, (Part 6.1) subject to the following inclusions:-

a)    attendance by the Chair of Council, Leader and Deputy Leader of the Opposition and the relevant Scrutiny Committee Chair at meetings of the Executive Board (Section 4.5 – Approved duties);

b)   attendance by a Councillor at meetings or events to which the Councillor has been formally appointed or nominated by the Council in a Champion or Ambassador role e.g. Armed Forces Champion,  Disability Ambassador etc (Section 4.5 – Approved duties);

c)    Member Champion/Ambassador role description (Appendix D);

12.3  to approve any necessary membership changes to the Constitution arising from decisions made earlier in the meeting; 

12.4 that the Monitoring Officer be authorised to make any minor amendments, correct typographical or drafting errors and ensure all cross-references within the Constitution are correct and that these be reported to the Constitutional Review Working Group as and when necessary;

12.5 that subject to 12.1 – 12.4 above, the Council Constitution be adopted for 2018/19.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED

13.1 to note that the Labour Group has nominated Councillor Deryk Cundy to replace Councillor Jeff Edmunds on the Constitutional Review Working Group;

13 .2 to note that the Labour Group has nominated Councillor Rob James to replace Councillor Jeff Edmunds on the Pay Policy Advisory Panel.